Hero monochrome

A really quick share today as my mjosos gone walkabouts, probably because I've got a bit of a bad back, but dare not let the day pass with nothing, so another of those I made for Sir Stampalot.

This is one of he new cling stamps from Hero Arts CO105 stamped twice, once onto black cardstock using versamark and detail white embossing powder and once onto white cardstock using versafine back and detail clear. I cut each piece into three and matched tree pieces together following the pattern of the stamp. Matted simply onto silver mirri and black card then mounted on a shadow card, added gems and a butterfly punched from vellum, lightly shaded round the edges with Hero blossom shadow ink.

Candy thank you

Christmas Candy.................Hard for me to believe, but it's six months since I started my blog and I have been amazed what a friendly community blogland is and all the wonderful people I have met along the way.

As a small thank you for all the support I have received I have decided to offer some candy, nothing wild or huge just some Christmas goodies I thought might be useful. It occurred to me recently from some of your kind comments that I am very fortunate to have a such a varied collection of stamps so as part of my candy I have stamped and embossed........you got it right versafine and detail clear........a selection of Christmas images including Penny Black, Hero Arts, Stampendous, JudiKins, Denami, Hobby Art. The picture shows just a selection.

I want this to be fun and open to everyone, so there are no rules such as having to become a follower - although it is of course always lovely to welcome new friends and you get enterted twice if you do - and I am happy for you to add a link back here on your side bar to give others the chance to have a go, but it's all totally up to you. I will enter the names of everyone who comments on any of my posts from now until 24th September and will select a winner using Random Org. I am happy to ship outside the UK. Here's what I have included:

40 different stamped Christmas images

6 sheets of mixed stamped Christmas greetings

32 6x6 sheets Christmas DP's and vellum's

5 x 1.5m red ribbon

3m gold ribbon

3m red/green ribbon

Pack clear crystals

Pack silver bows and beads

Sticky pads

Roll wacky tack

2 brass Christmas stencils

20 cards and envelopes

2 packs Tara flowers

And.......a bag of sweets........not in the picture I opened them so need to buy more, but all important when crafting, helps concentration - that's my excuse anyway.

New Hero stamps

Busy at 'proper' work today so just a quick share in my coffee break........third espresso of the morning so should keep me going to lunchtime.

This is one of the cards I made for Sir Stamplaot last week using some of the new Hero Arts cling stamps, this one is C0115 which I stamped onto heatable acetate with versafine then embossed with detail gold, but masking the 'thank you' wording in the centre as I wanted to place a butterfly there instead. It's always difficult to photograph acetate but the wrap is slightly visible on the second picture.

I stamped the card itself with Hero G3316 harlequin using Hero shadow soft sand then Inkainkado 97513 leafy swirls and and Penny Black 3816E butterfly using versamark and detail gold embossing powder. I placed lace down the side underneath the acetate then fixed the stamped acetate in place with ribbon. Finally I stamped the flowers from the Hero stamp twice more onto acetate, again embossing with detail gold and decoupaged them on the front of the card with a gem brad.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank my Allsorts teamie Debs for giving me this award, thank you so much Debs, hope the backs improving.

I shall be back late with a small candy offering.

Glimmer Mist tutorial - stenciling

It's taken me a week or so, but as promised I have now completed the second part of the Glimmer Mist tutorial, this time focusing on using stencils to obtain some wonderful effects. Using stencils along with GM's the options are endless, you can use your finished piece as the focal point of your card or project, or continue to build on it until you are satisfied with the end product as in reality you can't really go wrong.

Selecting cardstock: Different colours work and interact with the base card used and the same colour will produce totally different finishes on different card colours and surfaces. For example, used on a coated cardstock GM's will sit on the surface and blend together more than they do on an absorbent card, so always take this into account. I prefer to use a min 220gsm carstock as I find this produces a workable piece - anything lighter can buckle with the weight of the GM's

Your stencils: They are available ready made, but if you have a Cricut or similar die machine you can cut your own from acetate, much cheaper and options endless.

Working surface: As described on my previous tutorial here.

Getting Started: Decide on your colours, I find three are good, with two from the same family in a lighter and darker tone, plus a complimentary colour - in these samples I have used Timeless Lilac, Rum Raisin and Key Lime, plus the final spray of Pearl as explained in my previous tutorial.

1) Start by giving the whole piece a spray of your lightest colour and dabbing it all over with kitchen towel - in picture 1 the colour is barely evident, but it has softened the cardstock.

2) Lay on your stencils (pic 1)

3) Spray all over with your other two colours (pic 2).

4) Lift the stencils as quickly as possible (pic 3) Note: make sure you lay them on your work mat with the ink side uppermost - I will explain why later.

5) Spray all over with Pearl - dependent on the finish you want - spray when still wet and the colours will bleed into the stenciled areas, whereas if you leave it to dry first and the use the Pearl the merging of colours will be more subtle (pic 4).

Really its as simple as that !

Finally, you can maximise your GM's by laying carstock onto the still wet stencils - why I said to lay them wet side up when you lift them off. This gives a nice mottled impression of the stencil and works well over previously GM'd pieces - I tend to keep offcuts for this purpose - you can end up with some really gorgeous pieces.

Inspirational Card Sketchers and Spoonful of Sugar

Good morning one and all and some more of yesterdays challenge work which I managed to get finished last evening.

Dawn B has come up with yet another fantastic sketch over at Inspirational Card Sketchers and don't ask me why, but this one shouted out vintage to me. So with that in mind it also fits in with this weeks Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is "Distressing".

As I had decided on vintage/distressing I worked from the My Minds Eye DP's outwards, distressing the edges with Tim Holts scattered straw. Next I created a circle with inks and a sponge then stamped in the centre with another of the new one from Inkadinkado 98396 Winter Birds using versafine sepia and detail clear embossing powder. I adore this set with all the swirls and leaves......mind you I have to say all of the new images they have introduced are gorgeous with lots of swirls.

The narrow spotty ribbon is from my stash and the leaves and flowers created with punches. Finally I added some gems and buttons.

Passions for Promarkers and Creative Card Crew

I got such a lovely surprise this morning when I went to look for the new challenge over at Passion for Promarkers - last week I made the Top 5 again with this card........will teach me to remember to check in future. So thank you girls for selecting my card, I will have a smile all day.

On to this weeks theme, there is an 'open' invitation on colours but with the emphasis on "Girly and Glitzy", how good is that. And at Creative Card Crew the theme is "Pink, Black and White" so I felt these two themes lend themselves to one another.

My image is the very chick Stamps Happen 80436 Paris Socialite which I stamped with versafine back and embossed with detail clear and of course coloured with Promarkers. Her fur stole is encrusted with diamonds courtesy of crystal glitter and her bag, hat and corsage have black Swarovsky crystal gems to decorate. I added lace and ribbon, a feather, hat pin and beads to embellish. The border is Martha Steward embossed scallop.

Everybody Art Challenges

Feels like Monday, but it's Tuesday........gonna be one of those weeks me thinks when I never catch up, but at least as it's Tuesday some of favourite challenges are posting their new themes. And the first for me is Everybody Art Challenges which has the theme of "Blue and Brown".

My card is an embarrassingly simple one, but I really like the finished article and always think these two colours really compliment one another. I have used one of the new Autumn sets from Inkadinkado 95513 stamping cream cardstock with the swirly leaves using Brilliance Mediterranean blue. The tree is from the same set, stamped with the same ink and embossed with detail clear and the mats cut with Nesties on the Bug. The bottom border is punched with Martha Stewart embossed zigzag.......can you tell I like this new one in my stash and ribbon and gems added to embellish.